Isobutanol is a flammable, irritating, colorless, transparent liquid with a distinctive odor. It has a boiling point of 107℃, an autoignition temperature of 426.6℃, is slightly soluble in water, and readily soluble in ethanol and ether.

1. Carbonylation Method

Propylene and synthesis gas are used as raw materials to produce normal and isobutyraldehyde through carbonylation. After decatalyzation, hydrogenation is performed to obtain normal and isobutanol, which are then separated by dehydration to obtain the finished products, normal and isobutanol, respectively.

2. Isobutyraldehyde Hydrogenation Method

Isobutanol is produced by the liquid-phase hydrogenation of isobutyraldehyde in the presence of a nickel catalyst.

3. Recovery from Isobutyl Oil: Isobutyl oil, a byproduct of methanol synthesis, is recovered from methanol plants. After removing methanol and undergoing salting-out dehydration, followed by azeotropic distillation, isobutanol is obtained.

Uses:

Used as a raw material in organic synthesis and as a solvent.

Used as an analytical reagent, chromatographic analysis reagent, solvent, and extractant.

Isobutanol is an organic synthesis raw material, primarily used in pesticides to synthesize isobutyronitrile, an intermediate in the production of diazinon.

Extraction solvent. Used in the manufacturing of petroleum additives, antioxidants, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-p-cresol, isobutyl acetate (coating solvent), plasticizers, synthetic rubber, artificial musk, fruit esters, and synthetic drugs. It can also be used to purify strontium, barium, and lithium salts, and as a solvent.